O85 Puerperal sepsis

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Acts as a Major Complication or Comorbidity (MCC) as a secondary diagnosis.

Applicable to

• Postpartum sepsis
• Puerperal peritonitis
• Puerperal pyemia

Excludes1 (never code together)

• fever of unknown origin following delivery (O86.4)
• obstetric pyemic and septic embolism (O88.3-)
• puerperal septic thrombophlebitis (O86.81)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• genital tract infection following delivery (O86.1-)
• sepsis during labor (O75.3)
• urinary tract infection following delivery (O86.2-)

Use additional code

• code (B95-B97), to identify infectious agent
• code (R65.2-) to identify severe sepsis, if applicable

Applies from O85 Puerperal sepsis

Applicable to

• Postpartum sepsis
• Puerperal peritonitis
• Puerperal pyemia

Excludes1 (never code together)

• fever of unknown origin following delivery (O86.4)
• obstetric pyemic and septic embolism (O88.3-)
• puerperal septic thrombophlebitis (O86.81)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• genital tract infection following delivery (O86.1-)
• sepsis during labor (O75.3)
• urinary tract infection following delivery (O86.2-)

Use additional code

• code (B95-B97), to identify infectious agent
• code (R65.2-) to identify severe sepsis, if applicable

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 769 in MDC 14.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 670.22 Puerperal sepsis, delivered, with mention of postpartum complication (approximate)
• 670.24 Puerperal sepsis, postpartum condition or complication (approximate)

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Maternity diagnoses (age 9 through 64): Age conflict edit. These diagnoses are clinically expected only in patients age 9 through 64.

Code annotations containing back-references to O85

Back-references to O85

• Type 1 Excludes: A40 Streptococcal sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: A41 Other sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: K65 Peritonitis ("puerperal peritonitis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: N71 Inflammatory disease of uterus, except cervix ("infection of uterus following delivery (O85, O86.-)")
• Type 2 Excludes: O75 Other complications of labor and delivery, not elsewhere classified ("puerperal (postpartum) sepsis (O85)")
• Type 2 Excludes: O98 Maternal infectious and parasitic diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Code First: R65.2 Severe sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")

Back-references to O85

• Type 1 Excludes: A40 Streptococcal sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: A41 Other sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: K65 Peritonitis ("puerperal peritonitis (O85)")
• Type 1 Excludes: N71 Inflammatory disease of uterus, except cervix ("infection of uterus following delivery (O85, O86.-)")
• Type 2 Excludes: O75 Other complications of labor and delivery, not elsewhere classified ("puerperal (postpartum) sepsis (O85)")
• Type 2 Excludes: O98 Maternal infectious and parasitic diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")
• Code First: R65.2 Severe sepsis ("puerperal sepsis (O85)")

Diagnosis Index entries for O85

• Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › peritoneum, peritoneal (perforated) (ruptured) › puerperal, postpartum, childbirth
• Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) › major › puerperal, postpartum, childbirth
• Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) › puerperal › major or generalized
• Pelviperitonitis › puerperal
• Peritonitis (adhesive) (bacterial) (fibrinous) (hemorrhagic) (idiopathic) (localized) (perforative) (primary) (with adhesions) (with effusion) › puerperal, postpartum, childbirth
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › abscess › peritoneum
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › fever (of unknown origin) › septic
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › infection › generalized
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › infection › peritoneum
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › metroperitonitis
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › parametritis
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › pelviperitonitis
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › peritoneal infection
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › peritonitis (pelvic)
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › pyemia
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › pyohemia
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › salpingoperitonitis
• Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications) › sepsis (pelvic)
• Pyemia, pyemic (fever) (infection) (purulent) › puerperal, postpartum, childbirth
• Sepsis (generalized) (unspecified organism) › pelvic, puerperal, postpartum, childbirth
• Sepsis (generalized) (unspecified organism) › puerperal, postpartum, childbirth (pelvic)

Nearby codes

• O85 Puerperal sepsis (this code)